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Bunion separators made to suit an individual Answered

Hi there,

Does anyone have ideas on how to make/get hold of a silicon type material to make moulds of so called toe separators. Something which could be made to an individual's needs, i.e. I would make it for myself and if it works, to share it publicly, as I am sure those who suffer from having bunions would benefit extremely. Unfortunately the products available on the market most of the time don't work (and is waste of money and resources), as all of us have different toes, feet, alignments etc.

Any ideas on how to make such material at home and cheaply are very welcome.

THANK you in advance!

To peace and comfy feet for all!

P.S. I have attached a few photos of these products to give you an idea of what I mean. The silicone which is used is soft but sturdy enough, which doesn't hurt the joints of the toes. It would be great to be able to mould these around flip flops (and other shoes) permanently - so that they don't move about.

3 Replies

Rtv silicone is softer than normal silicone. Its usually blue and maybe says something about using it to make gaskets. The problem with most silicones is that they would take very long to cure making something like that. If you want bulk and the exact right kind of silicone, Smooth-On is the company to look up. They have great customer service, sell a million types of silicone and I've gotten samples of their products before. Try the oogoo recipe on instructables. I know you said you want soft but oogo is very easy to work with and mold. Leave the cornstarch out to the open air to absorb moisture and youll have less issues with long lasting vinegar smell. Regular silicone I think is soft enough. Softer than oogoo. If it doesnt have to be one size fits all I would think they could be a bit firmer.

People make silicone casts of their baby's hands and feet as keepsakes. If you search eBay with the terms 'silicone rubber casting' You will find larger quantities.

Making orthopedic molds isn't as easy as you might think. That's why generic toe separators don't work all that well. If your foot must go in a shoe with the separator, the shoe needs to be orthopedic too.

A true bunion is a deviated bone. Finding and wearing proper fitting shoes is the better fix than continuing to deform your feet to the point you do bone damage.